System for loading train of cars with solid fluent material



May 17, 1966 P. F. GIESKING 3,251,437

SYSTEM FOR LOADING TRAIN 0F CARS WITH SOLID FLUENT MATERIAL Filed May24, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet l zwo 7025a \/\/Y/\/Y/\/ II II OWE? 4997164705 gQ m i.

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C Q d W INVENTOR w o PcwL FGLeskl ng J/ M Wwmw ATTORNEYS May 17, 1966 P.F. GIESKING SYSTEM FOR LOADING TRAIN OF CARS WITH SOLID FLUENT MATERIAL5 SheetsSheet 2 Filed May 24, 1963 1 PM Paws/Q5 ATTORNEYS e NW May 17,1966 P. F. GIESKING 3,251,437

SYSTEM FOR LOADING TRAIN OF CARS WITH SOLID FLUENT MATERIAL Filed May24, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR PcwL F Gas/(m5 B 5.9 $44 1 i luv 80mi e) ATTORNEYS May 17, 1966 P. F. GIESKING 3,251,487

SYSTEM FOR LOADING TRAIN OF CARS WITH SOLID FLUENT MATERIAL Filed May24, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR PcwL F GLesKing BY W JWVYQ JaMATTORNEYS May 17, 1966 P. F. GIESKING 3,251,487

SYSTEM FOR LOADING TRAIN OF CARS WITH SOLID FLUENT MATERIAL Filed May24, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVENTOR Paul F Gigs King Ill/l/l/l/bi' BY W,1% 891m.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3 251,487 SYSTEM FOR LOADING TRAIN 0FCARS WITH SOLID FLUENT MATERIAL Paul Frederick Giesking, Seven Islands,Quebec, Canada, assignor to Pickands Mather & Co., Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Filed May 24, 1963, Ser. No. 283,041 6 Claims.(Cl. 214-42) The present invention relates to an improved system forloading solid fluent material into a train of cars at a loading stationwhile the cars are moving through the station, the fluent material beingdischarged from container outlets arranged in a line and under which thetrain of cars passes as the loading progresses. The loading system canbe applied to any form of solid fluent material and is especiallyadapted for loading materials such as grain, cement mix, ores and oreconcentrates. The system is capable of loading a plurality of carssimultaneously from different discharge outlets and features anautomatic cut-off associated with each car so that only a predeterminedweight of the material will be loaded into each car. Each car includes ahatch for receiving the material and a hatch cover, and means areprovided in the system for automatically opening the hatch cover on eachcar as it approaches the line of discharge outlets at the loadingstation and for then reclosing the cover shortly after departing fromthe loading station.

Preferably the means for opening the hatch cover on each car isconstituted by a plow or the like which is movable between an upperposition sufficiently high to clear the upper structure of thelocomotive at one end of the car train and the caboose at the oppositeend of the car train, and a lower position in the path of travel of thecars and sufficiently low to cooperate with an upstanding maststructurally associated with each hatch cover so that when the mast oneach car strikes the plow, the hatch cover will be shifted from itsclosed to open position. Similarly, it is preferred to use as the meansfor reclosing each hatch cover a wheel or the like which is also movablebetween an upper position sufficiently high to clear the upper structureof the loco- -motive and caboose and a lower position in the path oftravel of the cars sufficiently low to strike a part of each open hatchcove-r as it passes and cause it to close by gravity.

Moreover, since it is assumed the locomotive and caboose will normallybe higher than the upper part of the cars to be loaded, i.e. higher thanthe hatches on the cars, it is preferable ,to provide each dischargeoutlet for the material with a spout which can be shifted between anupper position sufiiciently high to clear the soon as the locomotivepasses each of them and are thereafter caused to be raised automaticallyin succession just before the caboose reaches each of them. Thus thesystem for loading each car train operates automatically and without theneed for any personal attention.

Another feature of the invention resides in novel structure of the caritself. In addition to the hatchcover which preferably extends for thelength of the car and includes a mast which is upright when the hatchcover is closed and is adapted to cooperate with a plow or the like forautomatically opening the hatch cover, each car includes a trigger platewhich extends also for substantially the length of the car, this triggerplate being adapted to cooperate with complemnetary means provided ateach discharge outlet for controlling flow of the fluent material intothe open hatch. The height of the trigger plate is determined by theheight of the car on its spring mounting and the preferred arrangementis such that when a predetermined weight of material has been loadedinto any particular car, the trigger plate will have loweredsimultaneously with lowering of the car on its springs to the pointwhere it is no longer effective to keep the discharge outlet openwhereupon the outlet is automatically closed to stop flow of the fluentmaterial.

In a particular advantageous arrangement for the trigger plate, theplate is integrated into the hatch cover structure such that when thehatch cover is opened, one edge of the plate faces upward andconstitutes a cam track which cooperates with complementary cam followermeans which control opening and closing of the discharge outlets. Thisis of particular advantage when the car is so constructed, that endwalls of the car converge in the downward direction to facilitate alater discharge of the contents of the car from a dumping mechanismlocated at the lower part of the car.

' portions of the cam track are correlated to the slope of the end wallsof the car so that a lesser quantity of the fluent material will tend tobe loaded into the end portions of the car than will be loaded into theintermediate part of the car. In this manner, the entire car will thusbe more uniformly loaded as to the height of the load in the car. Whenfilling of the car is begun, the cars springs carry the car body atmaximum height and substantially all of the contoured cam surfacecontacts a cam follower, and hence feed descends into the car forsubstantially the full length of the hatch. As the car bodyprogressively sinks on the springs, as successive spouts contribute toits lading, the contoured cam surface does not contact a cam followerquite so soon and it breaks contact with the cam follower sooner;accordingly, the.

period of feed discharge into the car becomes shorter with each. partialfilling until feeding stops altogether.

Another novel feature of the hatch cover resides in a spring loadeddevice for latching the cover in its closed position, this latchingdevice being actuated bythe initial movement of the upright mast on thecover as the mast strikes the plow or other similar obstruction so as tounlock the cover and being locked again in an automatic manner as thehatch cover is subsequently reclosed after the car departs from theloading station.

The foregoing as well as other features and objects of the inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description of oneembodiment and from the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating the novel system forloading a train of cars with fluent material from a plurality ofoverhead discharge openings at a loading station while thetrain ismoving; 7

FIG. 2 is'a view showing a typical train comprising a locomotive at thefront end, a plurality of cars to be loaded and a caboose at the rearend;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of one of the cars to be loaded, thehatch cover being shown in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevation of the upper portion only of the carand with the hatch cover in open position;

FIG. 5 is a view in end elevation of the car, the hatch cover beingillustrated in closed position;

FIG. 6 is'a partial end elevation of the upper portion only of the carand with the hatch cover in open position;

FIG. 7 is also a partial end elevation of the upper part Patented May17, 1966.

3 of the car and with the hatch cover in the act of reclosing afterhaving left the loading station.

FIG. 8 is a vertical transverse section of the upper part only of thecar showing details of construction of the hatch cover and its manner ofoperation between closed and open positions;

F IG. 9 is a structural detail showing the slotted arrangement of thetrigger plate (cam plate) to permit the latter to be adjusted relativeto the complementary cam follower provided in the discharge controlmechanism for each discharge spout;

FIG. 10 is also a structural detail illustrating the manner in which thehatch cover is coupled to the mast which actuates the cover, thiscoupling including a lost-motion device to permit the cover to becomeunlatched before its opening movement is begun; and

. FIG. 11 is a combined structural and electrical schematic viewillustrating one of the plurality of in-line dischange spouts at theloading station and the manner in which the spout is shifted between anupper position so as to clear the locomotive and caboose and a lowerloading position adjacent the hatch on a car, the view also illustratingthe manner in which the cam plate on the car controls the opening andclosing of the discharge outlet from the storage container, and anelectrical schematic of the circuit controlled by the locomotive andcaboose for lowering and raisingthe discharge spout respectively.

With reference now to the drawings and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, atypical train of cars 10 to be loaded as shown in FIG. 2 is pulled by alocomotive 11 and a caboose 12 is attached to the rear end of the train.This entire train is caused to move through a loading station S shownschematically in FIG. 1 which is comprised on a plurality of dischargeoutlets 17 located in a straight line, these outlets serving to controlflow of the solid fluent material from a storage container 8 into thecars as they pass beneath the discharge outlets. Located at the approachside to the loading station is an actuating member in the form of aV-shaped :plow P or the like which is arranged to be shifted between anupper position shown in broken lines and a lower position shown in solidlines as indicated by the double-headed arrow. This plow functions, whenin its lower position, .to coact with the hatch cover opening structureof each car in the train as it passes by, thus opening the hatch coverson the cars so as to enable them to be loaded with solid fluent materialas they pass through the loading station.

Located at the departure side from the loading station is anotheractuating member in the for-m of a rotatably mounted whee'l W or thelike which is likewise arranged to be shifted between an upper positionshown in broken lines and a lower position shown in solid lines asindicated by the double-headed arrow. This wheel functions, when in itslower position, to coact with the open hatch cover on each car as itpasses by, the wheel striking the hatch cover and causing it to reclose.Thus the fluent material loaded into the cars is protected against theelements while in transit.

Actually, as shown in FIG. 7, two such wheels are desired and each wheelis offset laterally to each side of the center line of the car'since thecontacting point of the wheel with the open hatch cover is offset fromthe center line.- Thus if one end of the car faces forward whenapproaching the wheels, one of the wheels will strike the open hatchcover and if the car is reversed endfor-end, the other wheel will strikethe open hatch cover.

The arrangement as disclosed for shifting plow P and the whee-ls W atthe approach and departure sides respectively of the loading station Sbetween their upper and lower positions is predicated upon theassumption that the general overall height of the locomotive 11 andcaboose 12 will be greater than that of the cars 10 to be loaded andhence, as a practical matter, it becomes necessary to lower the plow Pand wheel W after the locomotive passes by so as to be within practicalreach of the hatch cover opening means on each car It and to thereafterraise the plow and wheels in advance of the approach of the .caboose sothat these units will not be struck by the caboose. Should, however,this not be necessary in order to clear the locomotive and caboose theplow and wheels can remain in their lower, operating position at whichthey function to open and then reclose the hatch covers of the cars insuccession.

Associated with each of the discharge outlets 17 from the storagecontainer 8 for the solid fluent material is a spout 14 which, like theplow P and wheels W, and for the same assumed reasons, must clear thelocomotive and caboose and also be in a position close enough to the carhatch to minimize spillage, is arranged to be shifted between an upperposition shown in PKG. 11 in broken lines and a lower, materialdischarging position shown in full lines. Of course, if there is nonecessity for raising the spouts 14 to clear the'locomotive and caboose,then the spouts can remain in their lower, material discharging positionwith the mouth 14a of each spout located closely adjacent the open carhatch as depicted in FIG. 6.

For raising and lowering the spout 14, various structural arrangementsare possible. The spouts may be constructed with telescoping sections,or a single spout may be raised and lowered, or the construction may beas illustrated in FIG. 11 wherein the spout 14 is made of rubber orother similar flexible material and preferably includes a series offolds 14b along one side so as to facilitate creation of an elbow actionat the folds which enables the lower part of the spout to be bent upwardto a substantially horizontal position sufiiciently high to clear thelocomotive and caboose superstructure as the latter pass under thespouts.

For bending the spout 14 various mechanical, hydraulic or electricaldrive arrangements may be employed, the particular one illustrated beingcomprised of a sector gear 16 meshed with a pinion 17 that is driven byan electric motor M. Pinion 17 is mounted for rotation about a shaft 18that is supported by a downwardly, extending stationary strut 19 thatalso serves to reinforce the upper part of spout 14, and sector gear 16is secured to a shaft 20 which is journalled in the lower end of strut19. Also secured to shaft 26 is a lower strut 21 for the lower part ofspout 14 and hence as the sector gear 16 and its shaft 20 are rotated,so also will the lower strut 21 and the lower part of spout 14 berotated between the horizontal and vertical positions depicted in FIG.11.

The several motors M for raising and lowering each of the spouts 14associated respectively with the discharge outlets 1-7 are eachcontrolled by an identical relay arrangement shown in FIG. 11 within therectangle 22. A similar type of relay control, each with its operatingmotor M is utilized for raising and lowering the plow P and wheels W.However, since these will be identical with the control for eachdischarge spout, they have not been illustrated in detail. Diagrammaticrepresentations of the control, each with its motor M and relayarrangement 22 are, however, shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

Located within the rectangle 22 on FIG. 11 is a relay 23 which includesan operating coil 23a and two sets of contacts 23b, 23c adapted to beclosed and opened together. Relay contacts 23b, when closed, serve toclose a power supply circuit from conductors 24, 25 to motor M. Contacts23b are depicted in the closed position and hence motor M will havedriven its pinion 17 and sector gear 16 to the depicted position inwhich spout 14 cccupies its lower, material discharging position.

A manually operated switch 26 can, if desired, be placed in the powersupply circuit for motor M so as to enable motor M to be controlledmanually and independently of the automatic type of control furnished bythe controls on the locomotive and caboose respectively.

Relay coil 23a is arranged to be energized by means carried on thelocomotive which complete the relay coil energizing circuit from thepower supply conductors 24,

25. In particular, as shown in FIG. 11, the locomotive is provided withan electrically conductive bar type bridge 27 which is arranged tocontact and close the circuit between successively arranged pairs ofparallel extending conductor sections which are arranged along the pathof travel of the locomotive. In FIG. 1, these consecutively arrangedparallel conductor sections are designated 1' to 7 and they arecoordinated with the consecutively arranged discharge mouths 1-7respectively of the storage container. Thus in FIG. 11, discharge mouth1 is represented and hence the associated conductor section is 1'-1'.

It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the conductor sections are displacedlongitudinally from their related discharge months 1-7 in the directionof travel of the train through the loading station, this arrangementbeing provided so that discharge spouts 14 associated with the dischargemouths will be lowered in succession after the locomotive has passed bythe spout but before the car behind the locomotive has reached thespout.

As soon as the contactbridge 27 on locomotive 12 closes the circuitbetween the conductors of section 1-1' for example, relay coil 23a willbe energized to thus cause relay contacts 23b, 23c to close. Motor M isthen energized to shift spout 14 associated with discharge mouth 1 fromthe raised to the lower position. vAs explained above, this does nothappen until the locomotive has passed by the location of dischargemouth 1. Contact bridge 27 on the locomotive then leaves the conductorsection.1'1' but relay coil 23a remains energized due to the holdingcircuit established for this coil through relay contacts 230 to thepower supply conductors 24, 25. The contact bridge 27 next closes thecircuit between the conductors of section 2' for a brief period causingthe relay apparatus associated with the control of the discharge spoutfor discharge mouth 2 to be activated and thus lower its spout. In asimilar manner, the parallel conductors of conductor sections 3, 4', 5',6 and 7' will be connected in succession as the bridge 27 on thelocomotive reaches these sections thus causing the discharge spoutsrelated thereto to be lowered in succession behind the locomotive.

A similar parallel conductor section p is located in advance of theconductor section 1' and the relay apparatus correlated thereto andshown in rectangle 22 serves to lower the plow P behind the locomotive.

Another similar parallel conductor section w is located beyond the lastconductor section 7', and the relay apparatus correlated thereto andshown in rectangle 22 serves to lower the wheels W behind thelocomotive.

After all of the cars 10 have passed the loading station, it isnecessary to raise the plow P and all the discharge spouts 14 and thewheels W in succession in advance of the caboose. This is effected byproviding another series of conductor sections p", 1 to 7" and w" whichare adapted to be bridged for a brief period in succession by aconductive bar type bridge 29 carried by caboose 12. In FIG. 11, the twoconductors of section 1" are depicted and whenthe circuit is closedbetween conductors 1", 1" a shunt is placed around relay coil 23acausing this relay and its contacts 23b, 230 to open. The circuit tomotor M is interrupted and this causes spout 14 associated withdischarge mouth 1 to raise to its upper horizontal position to clear thesuperstructure of the caboose.

A resistance 30 is preferably placed in the shunt circuit for each relaycoil 23a to limit current flow .to a safe value.- v

The conductor sections p", 1" to 7" and w" are displaced longitudinallyin a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the train throughthe loading station, as depicted in FIG. 1. The obvious reason for thisis to cause the plow P, the spouts 14 and the wheels W to be raised inadvance of the passage of the caboose past these points.

The cars 10 to be loaded are detailed as to structure in FIGS. 3-8. Withreference now to these views, each car includes a body of any desiredconfiguration supported upon a frame 33 'which is carried by wheeledtrucks 34 at each end thereof. The car wheels 35 are arranged to run onrails 36 which establish a track for the train to run through theloading station. Each car is provided with the usual springs 37associated with the trucks so that as the car is progressively loaded,the car body in particular will be progressively lowered as springs 37are progressively compressed. This is an important aspect of the carstructure, as will be detailed hereinafter since flow of the materialinto any car is automatically cut off after the car has lowered on itssprings to a predetermined level which characterizes a predeterminedweight of the material in the car.

Each car 10, as illustrated in this particular embodi-' ment of theinvention, has a substantially cylindrical configuration extending for amajor portion of its length and the end walls 38 preferably convergeinthe downward direction to better cooperate with dumping mechanismlocated at the lower part of the car body. This dumping mechanismindicated generally at 40 includes wheels 41, 42 at opposite sides ofthe car which are arranged to be operated when the train reaches theunloading station. When wheel 41 is caused to rotate, this results inopening of the dump doors 43. Thereafter, when wheel 42 is caused torotate and while the car is proceeding in the same direction, theunloading of the fluent material from the cars also taking place whilethe train is moving, the dump doors 43 are re-closed. Thedumpingmechanism may take various forms and hence the particular structuraldetails have not been included in the application. However, one suitabledumping arrangement is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 3,080,075granted March 5, 1963.

Each car is provided with a hatch 44'which extends longitudinally at thetop of the car and for substantially the entire length thereof. Thesolid fluent material is discharged from the storage container S throughthe spouts 14 into the car through this hatch and the hatch way carbody. Located between the bearing sleeves 47 are brackets 48 which havesleeve portions 48' that surround shaft 46 and are rigidly secured tothis shaft. Brackets 48 are in turn rigidly secured to the hatch cover45 so that as shaft'46 is rotated, the hatch cover 45 will be caused toturn about the axis of this shaft between its closed and open positions.

For actuating the hatch cover on each car, a mast 50 is provided. Thismast is preferably located midway between the ends of the hatch coverand is secured at its lower end to a sleeve 51 which surrounds shaft 46.Sleeve 51 includes a keyway 52 which is purposely made somewhat widerthan the key 53 on shaft 46 by which sleeve -51 is coupled to this shaftso as to effect rotation of the latter, this arrangement permitting aninitial lost-motion rotary displacement of mast 50 before picking upshaft 46 'which enables a locking device for the cover to be unlatchedbefore starting the opening movement of the cover.

The locking device for the hatch cover includes a latch bolt 54. One endof this latch bolt is connected to mast 50 by a pin-and-slot coupling 55and the other end is adapted to enter a keeper hole 56 provided at oneside of the hatch. Bolt 54 passes through a bearing sleeve 57 at theunderside of the cover and a compression spring 58 surrounding bolt 54at one end of this sleeve applies a biasing force to the bolt tending tomaintain the end of the bolt in the keeper hole 56. Thus during theinitial rotary movement of mast-50, latch bolt 54 will be retracted fromkeeper hole 56 thus unlatching the cover and freeing it for an openingmovement as mast 50 is further rotated and picks up the torsion shaft 46to which the hatch cover 45 is secured.

Located at the upper end of mast 50 is a roller 59 mounted for rotationabout a shaft 49 which extends vertically upward when mast 50 occupiesits vertical position which corresponds to the closed position of thehatch cover. This roller 59 which may take the form of a pneumatic tireis adapted to be engaged by one side of the V-shaped plow P as shown inFIG. 5, and as the tire 59 moves along the plow surface which is obliqueto the line of travel of the car, mast 50 will be caused to rotate fromthe upright position shown in full lines in FIG. 8 to the horizontalposition shown in broken lines. Simultaneously, hatch cover 45 movesfrom its closed, horizontal position shown in full lines to thevertical, open position shown in broken lines. The hatch cover and mastare also shown in FIGS. and 6 respectively in their two positions. Thelateral position of mast 50 with respect to the center line of the carof course reverses when the car is reversed. For this reason, plow P, asshown in FIG. 5, is made symmetrical about its center line to provide aroller engaging surface on either side of the center line thus assuringopening of the hatch cover when mast 50 is located on either side of thecenter line of the car.

Secured along the side of hatch cover 45 opposite shaft 46 is alongitudinally extending bracket 60 to which a cam plate 61 is secured.The means for securing plate 61 to bracket 60 includes a plurality oflongitudinally spaced slot and bolt connections. One of these isdetailed in FIG. 9 and is seen to include a slot 62 in cam plate 61 anda fastening bolt 63 which passes through the slot into a hole in bracket60. The slotted connection makes it possible to adjust the height of thecam plate above the track and the reason for this will shortly becomeapparent.

The outer edge 61a of the cam plate functions essentially as a cam trackfor cooperation with a cam follower pin 64 located on spout 14 as shownin FIG. 11 and which controls opening and closing of a gate 65associated with the discharge outlet and located at the upper entranceend to spout 14. Gate 65 can take a variety of forms and in theparticular embodiment which has been illustrated, the gate isconstructed as a slide plate having an aperture 65a which is arranged tobe shifted laterally between a closed position wherein a non-aperturedportion of the plate closes off the discharge outlet and an openposition wherein the apertured portion 65a is aligned with the dischargeoutlet. For actuating the gate 65, the illustrated embodiment includes asolenoid 66 having an energizing coil 67 and an armature core 68 adaptedto be drawn into the coil whenever the coil is energized. Armature core68 is secured to one side of slide plate 65 and a biasing tension spring69 is secured to the opposite side of this plate so as to cause theplate to pull back to its closed position as soon as solenoid coil 67 isde-ener gized. Coil 67 is connected in an energizing circuit whichincludes a voltage source represented by battery 70 and the contacts ofa switch 71 which is actuated by the cam follower pin 64. Switch 71 iseither open or closed dependent upon whether or not cam track 61a isengaged with its follower pin 64. Such engagement will take place untilthe car has become fully loaded thus maintaining the discharge outletfrom the storage container open. As soon, however, as any car hasreceived its predetermined full load of the solid fluent material fromthe storage container, cam track 61a will no longer make contact withthe cam follower pin 64 and flow will be cut off into that particularcar. As previously explained,

this disengagement between cam track 610 and follower pin 64 resultsfrom a sinking of the car on its springs to a point where contactbetween the two is no longer possible.

Since the end walls 38 of the car slope convergently in the downwarddirection, it is preferred to so contour the cam track 61a, as shown inFIG. 4, that the end portions 61a slope upwardly in a convergent manner.This inverse matching as between the longitudinal contour of the camtrack and the longitudinal contour of the car thus enables each car tobe more uniformly loaded as to height of material in the car.

Operation While it is believed that the general sequence of operationswill be clear from the preceding detailed descrip tion of the improvedloading system, the operations can be summarized as follows:

As a train of cars shown in FIG. 2 approaches the loading station S, andafter locomotive 11 passes under the raised plow P, the bridgingconductor bar 27 on the locomotive will connect the conductors ofsection p causing relay apparatus 22 associated with the plow toenergize motor M which then lowers the plow. As the locomotive proceedsthrough the loading station, conductor bar 27 will connect theconductors of sections 1 to 7 and w in succession thus causing eachrelay apparatus 22 associated therewith to lower the discharge spouts 14associated respectively with the discharge openings 17 and the hatchcover closing wheels W in succession just behind the locomotive. Aspreviously explained, plow W is lowered to its operating position beforethe first car 10 behind the locomotive reaches it and hence the hatchcover 45 on this car and the hatch covers on the cars behind it will beopened in succession as the roller 59 on each car mast 50 rolls alongthe plow. As the cars 10 reach the line of lowered spouts 14, theupwardly facing cam track 61 on each car will be in its proper positionto make contact with and actuate the cam follower 64 associated witheach spout so that the discharge outlets are opened and the fluentmaterial is fed into the car hatches 44. As previously explained, eachcar will sink progressively on its springs as the total weight of thematerial fed into the car increases, and flow of material into anyparticular car will be cut 05 as soon as the cam track 61 has dropped tothe point where it is no longer able to make contact with the camfollower 64 on any discharge spout. There is no possibility fordischarging any of the material from any of the spouts into the gapbetween adjacent cars since the discharge from any spout is cut off assoon as the cam track on each car leaves the cam follower. This positivecontrol over the discharge of material is an important feature in thatit permits progressive filling of any ore car by material dischargedfrom a plurality of discharge spouts in succession as the car moves, ina given direction, beneath a succession of such discharge spouts each ofwhich provides-during the time interval the car is beneath the spoutonlya fractional part of a total filling for a car.

When the loaded cars reach the lowered wheels W, one such wheel,depending upon whether the hatch cover has been swung to the left whenopened as shown in FIG. 8, or to the right, will strike against the openhatch cover thus initiating its closing movement and the cover willcomplete such movement due to gravitational force.

When the caboose 12 now reaches the conductor section p" located inadvance of plow W, its conductor bar 29 will connect the two conductorsof this section thus causing the relay apparatus 22 associated therewithto raise the plow in advance of passage of the caboose under the same.Similarly, as the caboose proceeds through the loading station,conductor bar 29 will connect the conductors of sections 1" to 7" and w"in succession thus causing each relay apparatus 22 associated therewithto raise the discharge spouts and the hatch cover closing wheels insuccession just ahead of passage of the caboose.

9 This completes one leading cycle for the car train an the loadingsystem is thereby restored to its initial condition in readiness for theapproach of the next car train I to be loaded.

In conclusion, while the invention has been described with reference toits application to automatic loading of a train of cars on a trackwaywhile the train is in motion,

the underlying principles of the invention are equally applicable tosimilar automatic loading of any type of moving receptacle which isspring mounted on a wheeled vehicle and wherein it is desired toterminate discharge of material as soon as a predetermined weight ofsuch material has been fed into the receptacle.

I claim:

1. The combination with a loading station including a storage containerfor fluent material and cam follower controlled apparatus fordischarging such fluent material of a car for hauling such solid fluentmaterial, the car comprising a wheeled truck, a car body spring-mountedon said truck, a dumping mechanism located at the lower part of said carbody, a loading hatch extending longitudinally at the upper part of saidcar body, a cover for said hatch, said hatch cover being movable betweena horizontal closed position and a substantially vertical open position,said hatch cover including a longitudinally extending cam surfaceextending upwardly when said hatch cover is in the open position andwhich is adapted to cooperate with said cam follower controlledapparatus for discharging fluent material from said storage containerinto said car through said hatch, said car body when containing apredetermined weight of such fluent material sinking on its springssufficiently to terminate cooperation between said cam surface and saidcam follower to stop discharge of fluent material from said storagecontainer.

2. A car as defined in claim 1 for hauling said fluent materials whereinsaid cam surface on said hatch cover is established by one edge of a camplate, and means mounting said cam plate on said hatch cover foradjustment in a vertical direction as viewed with the hatch cover inopen position.

3. The combination with a loading station including a storage containerfor fluent material and cam follower controlled apparatus fordischarging such fluent material of a car for hauling such solid fluentmaterial, the car comprising a wheeled truck, a car body spring mountedon said truck, a dumping mechanism located at the lower part of said carbody, a loading hatch extending longitudinally at the upper part of saidcar body, a cover for said hatch, said hatch cover being pivotallymounted for movement between a horizontal closed position and asubstantially vertical open position, a control arm for said coverextending in a substantially vertical upward direction when said hatchcover occupies its closed position, said control arm being adapted foractuation by engagement with an abutment to effect movement of saidhatch cover from its closed to open position, the combination beingfurther characterized in that said hatch cover includes a longitudinallyextending cam surface extending upwardly when said hatch cover is in theopen position, said cam surface being adapted to cooperate with camfollower controlled apparatus for discharging fluent material from :astorage container into the car through said hatch, said car body whencontaining a predetermined weight of such fluent material sinking on itssprings sufficiently to terminate cooperation between said cam surfaceand said cam follower to stop discharge of fluent material from saidstorage container.

4. A car as defined in claim 3 for hauling solid fluent materialswherein said hatch cover includes a longitudinally extending cam plate,and means mounting said cam plate on said hatch cover for adjustment ina vertical direction as viewed with the hatch cover in open position,the upper edge of said cam plate constituting said cam surface.

5. The combination with a loading station including a storage containerfor fluent material and cam follower controlled apparatus fordischarging such fluent material of a car for hauling such solid fluentmaterial, the car comprising a wheeled truck, a car body spring-mountedon said truck, said car body having upwardly divergent end walls, adumping mechanism located at the lower part of said car body, a loadinghatch extending longitudinally at the upper part of said car body, acover for said hatch, said hatch cover being movable between a closedposition and a substantially vertical open position, said hatch coverincluding a longitudinally extending cam surface extending upwardly whensaid hatch cover is in the open position, said cam surface beingprofiled longitudinally to establish upwardly convergent end portionsand a horizontally extending middle portion and being adapted tocooperate with cam follower controlled apparatus for discharging fluentmaterial from said storage container into the car through said hatch,said car body when containing a predetermined weight of such fluentmaterial sinking on its springs sufficiently to terminate cooperationbetween said cam surface and said cam fol lower to stop discharge offluent material from said storage container.

6. In a car for hauling solid fluent materials, the combinationcomprising a wheeled car body, a dumping mechanism located at the lowerpart of said car body, a loading hatch extending for substantially theentire length of said car body at the upper part thereof, a cover forsaid hatch, said hatch cover including an integral sleeve extendingalong one side thereof, a rock shaft extending through and secured tosaid sleeve, a rocker arm extending upwardly from said rock shaft whensaid hatch cover is in the closed position, said rocker arm beingadapted to be actuated by engagement with an abutment member located inits path of movement, means including a lost motion mechanism couplingsaid rocker arm to said rock shaft thereby to effect movement of saidhatch cover from its closed to open position upon actuation of saidrocker arm; and a latch mechanism for latching said hatch cover in theclosed position, and actuating means for said latch mechanism connectedto said rocker arm for unlatching said hatch cover during the initialmovement of said rocker arm permitted by said lost motion mechanism,said latch mechanism including a spring loaded latch bolt having one endthereof connected to said rocker arm and the other end enterable into akeeper hole provided in the hatch wall structure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 886,472 5/1908Brown 377 X 1,204,348 11/1916 Doherty 214-42 1,347,174 7/1920 Murphy105-377 1,443,377 1/ 1923 Nor-ris 214-12 1,469,357 10/1923 Castleman214-41 X 1,594,863 8/1926 Warner 21463 1,748,301 2/ 1930 McKinlay.

2,005,126 6/1935 Beatty et a1. 214-41 2,035,281 3/1936 Braune et a121441 2,372,369 -3/1945 Ditchfield 105-377 2,833,427 5/1958 James.

3,145,665 8/1964 Hamilton 105-377 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

A. J. MAKAY, Assistant Examiner.

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A LOADING STATION INCLUDING A STORAGE CONTAINERFOR FLUENT MATERIAL AND CAM FOLLOWER CONTROLLED APPARATUS FORDISCHARGING SUCH FLUENT MATERIAL OF A CAR FOR HAULING SUCH SOLID FLUENTMATERIAL, THE CAR COMPRISING A WHEELED TRUCK, A CAR BODY SPRING-MOUNTEDON SAID TRUCK, A DUMPING MECHANISM LOCATED AT THE LOWER PART OF SAIDBODY, A LOADING HATCH EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AT THE UPPER PART OF SAIDCAR BODY, A COVER FOR SAID HATCH, SAID HATCH COVER BEING MOVABLE BETWEENA HORIZONTAL CLOSED POSITION AND A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL OPEN POSITION,SAID HATCH COVER INCLUDING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CAM SURFACEEXTENDING UPWARDLY WHEN SAID HATCH COVER IS IN THE OPEN POSITION ANDWHICH IS ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID CAM FOLLOWER CONTROLLEDAPPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING FLUENT MATERIAL FROM SAID STORAGE CONTAINERINTO SAID CAR THROUGH SAID HATCH, SAID CAR BODY WHEN CONTAINING APREDETERMINED WEIGHT OF SUCH FLUENT MATERIAL SINKING ON ITS SPRINGSSUFFICIENTLY TO TERMINATE COOPERATION BETWEEN SAID CAM SURFACE AND SAIDCAM FOLLOWER TO STOP DISCHARGE OF FLUENT MATERIAL FROM SAID STORAGECONTAINER.